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by daydreamsonacloudyday



Series: Nova Ryder [6]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-02
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-12-23 00:54:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11978694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daydreamsonacloudyday/pseuds/daydreamsonacloudyday
Summary: Nova and Liam explore Meridian, and come to a conclusion about their new home.(fluff)





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> This is a few days after the Battle for Meridian, but before Orion (Nova's twin) wakes up and before the opening day that takes place in the in-game epilogue.

Nova scanned the mass of people scurrying through the atrium of the Hyperion's habitation deck, quickly looking over each person as they passed by. Her eyes locked onto a familiar head of dark curls across the room, and she smiled to herself, making her way through the bustling crowd to her target. Out of the corner of her eye, Nova saw Tann heading in her general direction, and her stomach dropped. Slouching down, she turned on her heels, darting out of his line of sight as she continued towards her destination, her legs carrying her across the atrium faster than before.

"Liam!" she breathed when she finally reached him, thrusting herself in between him and whoever it was he was animatedly talking to.

"Nova!" he replied, brows furrowing. "What's wrong?"

Turning around, Nova shot an apologetic look towards the guy Liam was talking to, and equally confused look on the man's face. "Sorry to interrupt, but I need to borrow Liam for a minute. Pathfinder business—important stuff. Comes with saving everyone and all that." Nova linked her arm around Liam's and started dragging him away without another word.

"Pathfinder business?" he asked, amusement in his voice.

She glared at him. "I need to get out of here," she started, pulling him along towards the exit of the ship. "It's only been a few days since the battle and Tann is already driving me _insane_. I can't sit through another meeting _about_ Meridian when I—we—could be out _exploring_ it." Huffing, she stopped in her tracks and quirked an eyebrow at Liam. "You in?"

His lips curled into a mischievous grin. "Always."

\- . - . - . - . -

"This is the _best_ view in the cluster," Liam said, sighing as he looked out at Meridian before them. He sat down at the end of the cliff they climbed, his legs dangling over the edge right next to Nova's.

"Yeah, it is." Taking a deep breath, Nova gazed out at the lush landscape. "One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen." Liam hummed in agreement, and she felt a smirk spread across her lips. "I did a damn good job as Pathfinder."

He chuckled, giving her a sidelong glance. "You're the best."

"You're biased."

Liam shrugged, smiling at her. "You're still the best. Because of you, we have Meridian. We have a home."

"It wasn't _all_ me."

"Heh, you did _a lot_."

"Okay, I did. I can't help it—I'm just that awesome."

Liam laughed again, and she bit back a giggle. "Like I said, you're the best." He stared at her, that gorgeous, lopsided grin of his lighting up his face. She stared back, content to lose herself in his gaze. Liam leaned closer and pressed a kiss to her forehead before wrapping his arm around her.

Nova let out a happy little sigh and shimmied closer to him, settling her head on his armored shoulder. It would have been better if they weren't in their armor and she could feel the warmth of him against her, but it would do.

She let her eyes wander over the scenery below the cliff, a lightness in her chest as she took in the view. The magnificent, wondrous, and unexplored world laid out before her was home now.

Or was it?

"Liam?" she muttered, lifting her head off his shoulder to look at him.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to say something that might sound totally cheesy, but don't make fun of me, because I'm serious about what I'm going to say."

He smirked. "No promises."

Nova whacked him in the chest with the back of her hand and a laugh escaped him. Biting back a smile, she turned back towards the rest of Meridian. Pursing her lips, she drew her brows together as she tried to put her thoughts into words.

"When I think about _home_ , it's not really a place. It could be here, the Tempest, somewhere else—it doesn't matter. Because when I picture home, you're always there with me." She looked up at him, and he was already gazing at her, his eyes boring into hers. Huffing, she smiled softly, holding his gaze. " _You_ are my home, Liam Kosta."

Liam's lips spread into a full-blown grin and her heart fluttered in her chest. "You're my home, Nova Ryder." he said. Her expression quickly grew to match his. "Wherever you go, I'll be there. I want to spend every waking minute with you."

Pressing up off the ground, Nova practically launched herself at him and grabbed either side of his face, her lips meeting his just before his back hit the ground. She landed on him and they both laughed into the kiss, his arms snaking around her, holding her as close as she could get with their armor on.

They were breathless when they broke for air, and Nova held herself up, hovering her face just above his.

"Every waking minute, though?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him. "Think about that. Do you really want to deal with _me_ for every single waking minute of every single day for the rest of your life?"

"It's only fair—you put up with me," Liam shot back.

Snorting a laugh, Nova shoved him in the chest. "Jackass."

Liam barely laughed before she caught his lips in another kiss, both of them losing themselves in it. When they pulled apart, she rested her forehead against his as she caught her breath, his gloved fingers tracing over her face.

"Would it totally ruin the moment if I mention that home also includes my brother? And Cora? And Vetra? And Peebee? And Jaal, Drack, Gil, Kallo, Suvi, and Lexi?"

"Yeah, moment's ruined," he replied, feigning disappointment. "Completely bloody ruined."

"They're secondary to you, though! Except for Orion."

"Shit, Nova, I can't even look at you right now."

"He's my twin!" she forced out, trying not to laugh at the ridiculous faux-horrified look Liam was giving her. "He's my best friend! We've been there for each other since before we were even born!" she spluttered, and Liam snorted, the both of them bursting out into laughter. Nova let herself drop beside him as they calmed down, and he rolled onto his side, smiling at her.

She smiled back, opening her mouth to speak when a raindrop landed on her cheek. She blinked rapidly, wiping the drop off her face, just as more rain started to fall from the sky.

"To the Nomad!" she called out, scrambling to her feet, the rain coming down harder. Liam stood as well, but instead of going for the rover, he pulled her close and pressed a deep, tender kiss to her lips. When he pulled back, he was grinning despite the fact that they were getting drenched. He brushed back the hair that was sticking to her face from the rain, his eyes locked on hers.

"I love you."

A grin mirroring his own spread across her face. "I love you, too," she breathed, not caring that she was soaked. All that mattered in that moment was _Liam_.

"Ryder," came SAM's voice from inside her head. "Tann, Addison, and Kesh are looking for you back on the Hyperion." Nova groaned, wishing the moment wasn't coming to an end.

"What?"

"SAM says they need me back on the Hyperion. We have to go back."

Liam rested his forehead against hers. "We can always sneak out again later. When it's _not_ raining."

"Afraid you're going to mess up your hair?"

"Oh, it's definitely messed up," he started, smiling. "But it was worth it."

Giggling, Nova laced her fingers with his and started leading him back towards the Nomad. "C'mon, let's go."

"Yeah," Liam replied, giving her hand a squeeze. "Let's go home."

_Home_. For now, it was Meridian—but Nova would always be at home with Liam by her side.


End file.
